I'm very pleased to announce that, after a great year, the KC is expanding. I have taken on a new team member in Annmarie Dodd, longtime fashion editor at Golf Digest/Golf World.
Monday, February 8, 2010
We're expanding...
I'm very pleased to announce that, after a great year, the KC is expanding. I have taken on a new team member in Annmarie Dodd, longtime fashion editor at Golf Digest/Golf World.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Weekend Inspirations
Thursday, February 4, 2010
RLX Fall 2010 - Setting the Bar
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sven-Olof Karlsson From Abacus Chats With The KC...
Abacus Golf was a highly-anticipated Swedish import at this year's PGA Show in Orlando. The company, known for its colorful outerwear and Nordic styling, is making its US debut in 2010 through a partnership with Caulfield Apparel Group, after a year of establishing a presence in Canada. Abacus is led by Managing Director Sven-Olof Karlsson, who sat with the KC to answer a few questions...
KC: I was, personally, very impressed with my initial exposure to Abacus clothing, because it's clearly a sporty lifestyle brand that happens to cater to golfers. What was the inspiration and the story behind starting the company in 1991 and how has that inspiration evolved?
SOK: Sven and Ingrid, who started the Abacus company, felt that there was a gap in the market of functional, good-looking clothes, and that you, at that time, had to choose between either design or function. Functionality was either poor or heavy or made for skiing or sailing. With newer, better and lighter fabrics being developed, they saw the opportunity to make more effective technical clothing that was suitable for golf, and to combine that with a sporty, fashion-orientated look. The original thought from the beginning was to make functional clothing with a good design in excellent quality, which is still the Abacus core idea.
KC: Many folks in the US won't be familiar with Abacus (hopefully after the PGA Show in January this will change) but what can you tell them briefly about Abacus' philosophy behind the clothing? Who is an Abacus customer?
SOK: Abacus' philosophy is to create a sporty and fashionable lifestyle on the golf course. We combine function and design into coordinated outfits for both on-and off-course use. The collection is based around a layer-on-layer ideal, with fabrics in lightweight and stretch materials... It is an [informed] and smart style of dress...
The Abacus customer is an active person living an active lifestyle; someone who likes to dress sporty and stylish and can use Abacus clothes in all occasions, both on the golf course and in their everyday lives...
KC: The styling and the photography on the website are unique in the way that we, in America, rarely think of scarves, layers and varying textures when it comes to golf clothing. What would you tell someone about the practicality of wearing items they might reserve for off the course, on to the course and how it might benefit their enjoyment?
SOK: Golf is changing and Abacus is part of the change. Golf is now, more than ever, respected as a sport that demands functional clothing. When wearing clothes that fit and make you look good, you feel good and comfortable. When we say that the Abacus collection is made for both on and off course, we mean that you can wear your favorite items on the golf course as well as off course, and that our clothes work well for playing golf, but they don’t necessarily need to look like typical golf items with a traditional golf style. You can be well dressed for golf coming directly from work without changing clothes.
We like to think of us being part of making new ideas and making a change in order to welcome fashion, sportswear and lifestyle into the golfwear market and making it more interesting and at the same time creating fashion worn off the golf course that comes from the golf world...
KC: I see more and more parallels between skiing and golf outerwear in terms of weatherproofing against the elements, the articulation and movement and the materials and equipment design - also many connections exist between companies doing ski and golfwear like Lindeberg, RLX, Peak Performance... Looking at some of the photos on the website and coming from Sweden, does the whole ski town/resort town feel inspire the design of Abacus?
SOK: Skiwear and sportswear are inspirations as well as [high-street] fashion, and many of the Abacus functional wear, fabrics etc. that we use are also used in the sportswear industry. We are looking at action sports based on Scandinavian nature. It can be from the snow world, but as much inspiration comes from the sea and mountains. Practical ideas, a healthy lifestyle, activity and sporty touch are inspiring us to bring these elements to the golf course and to a leisure lifestyle. The latest development of functional fabrics with lighter weight and/or stretch are making new ideas possible on the golf course.
KC: I'm really into educating American golfers on proper fit. Describe the philosophy behind "fit" at Abacus...
"Fit" for fashion and "fit" for golf have been two different ideas, but they are indeed very similar. Oversize is not working in fashion and actually not necessary in golf. A nice silhouette is important for look, but also important for performance in golf - you just need more stretchy and lightweight fabrics. In the past, we've had to deal with heavy fabrics without stretch and companies have needed to make both polo shirts and waterproof jackets oversized to allow movement. This is no longer the case. Abacus thinks: create a look you can be proud of, but feeling practical and comfortable on the golf course is paramount.
KC: Do you guys have any plans to have USPGA Tour players wearing Abacus anytime soon?
SOK: Yes, we do. We started, from the SBS, to be represented by Richard S. Johnson.
KC: What is a favorite item from the Abacus collection that a new customer should absolutely own??
SOK: Our "Pitch" rain jacket. It has outstanding outerwear properties in all weather: Heavy rain, storm, cold, early mornings, evenings, grey, cloudy days or anything that is not warm sunshine. It features fantastic stretch, unique breathability, it is quiet, lightweight and of course, waterproof...
The Boss Weekend?
(Photo of Ben Crane the sole property of Getty Images)
As Hugo Boss' Green Label makes its re-entry into the American golf market, they couldn't have asked for a better few days...
Monday, February 1, 2010
Red, White and Who Knew?
Now for Peter Millar’s big We’ve Arrived moment: execs from the nine-year-old line, based in North Carolina, say they've been asked to dress the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Captain Corey Pavin reportedly selected Peter Millar’s creative director, Chris Knott, and his design staff, to create Team USA’s signature look for the event, Oct. 1-3 at The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales. The team has not yet been named, but those scoring high in the points needed to get them on the team include Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink, Tiger Woods, Ben Crane, Phil Mickelson and Ryan Palmer.
Peter Millar is known playing vibrant color off very traditional men's wear patterns (those they dress on PGA Tour include Steve Stricker, Aaron Oberholser and Troy Matteson). They’re also known for their huge line of cashmere sweaters. Knott is one of those Southern Gentleman who never appears in public without every stitch in place … and a pocket square to match! We’d love to see some luxe layers on Team USA set against the Welsh landscape.
What a huge honor and everyone we know at Peter Millar was so excited when we spoke with them last week at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando.
Team USA will wear, we hear, Hickey Freeman tailored clothing to Ryder Cup formal engagements. Nike Golf, Fairway & Greene and Polo Golf are among the brands who’ve dressed previous Ryder Cup teams. Peter Millar hasn’t made its way into the Ryder Cup merchandise, yet, but some shirts and caps for the event are already on sale at http://www.shoppga.com/event.asp?evn=2010+Ryder+Cup
–Annmarie Dodd
Simply the Best?
(Photos the sole property of The Associated Press and Getty Images)
It was great to see Ryuji Imada around the top of the leaderboard at Torrey Pines all week... Rooj has been one of the sharpest dressers on Tour, week in and week out, for several years and, despite a Sunday slip, it appears his game is back in form...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Badds the New Goods for Travis Mathew
(Photo the sole property of Getty Images)
Travis Mathew continues to roll out its roster of offseason acquisitions. It's been confirmed by reliable sources that Aaron Baddeley is the latest signee for TM. Baddeley, with his shag and laid-back demeanor is a perfect fit for the brand known for exuding sophisticated, surfer style on the course. Baddeley spent several years as the posterboy for the bold plaids and stripes of Original Penguin.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Jessy Heuvelink @ J.Lindeberg
J.Lindeberg’s new golf design director, Jessy Heuvelink, has just the fashion-schizophrenic pedigree needed to shape the Swedish brand that’s been pushing golf style forward for more than a decade. After stints in Adidas’ German headquarters and in Christian Lacroix’s haute couture atelier in Paris, Heuvelink has new muse … and it comes in the chiseled shape of Camilo Villegas. Here are some of the highlights of our meeting with Heuvelink at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando...
J.H.: “Right now, J.Lindeberg is not about a revolution, but an evolution. We’re going back to our roots to bring style to the golf course with pieces no one has ever seen before, like a waterproof, tech blazer we’ve created that has the look of a traditional blazer, but you can play golf in it.”
Q: Is it wrong to say JL is only for the super slim? Pardon the pun, but is the line broader than that?
J.H.: "We do have that reputation, but the truth is we have pieces all kinds of shapes can wear. Some pieces, however, are done with a design twist that can make them seem like they’re cut smaller. I’ve often said, when some bigger guys wear JL, they can, in fact, appear trimmer than they really are."
Q: We’re looking at a collection that will hit stores in the early summer, what was your inspiration here?
J.H.: "Tailoring. Classic menswear patterns, like big plaids, houndstooths and pinstripes, yet made modern in technical fabrics. The play between the old traditions and the new..."
Monday, January 25, 2010
Stuck in a Moment?
(Photos the sole property of Jack Nicklaus Sportswear)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Abu Dhabi Style
(Photos the sole property of Getty Images)
The Euros (and quite a few international stars) are in the desert this week for the Abu Dhabi Championship. On display, here, are some of the more crisp and clean sartorial achievements we've seen recently - probably because we've been watching the Sony Open... snooze... It's nice to see a full field of some of the world's best looking sharp.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
2 New Apparel Companies Bust Out on 2010 PGA Tour
Monday, January 18, 2010
RLX Fall 2010
The new RLX fall 2010 stuff is sick... I can't show photos yet, because RL will have my head on a stick. Trust me though... As they've done recently, the collection takes both heritage pieces - injected with contemporary flair and an updated fit - and modern staples with re-tooled detailing. It's clean and sophisticated with just enough edge to it. I'll have photos by next week from the PGA Show...
New York Haberdashery Show
Todd Martin and Chris Knott
I stopped by the Warwick Hotel on Friday morning to chat with my friends Chris Knott and Millie Graham from Peter Millar. As always, we had fun firing back and forth about the latest developments in golf style, menswear and, of course, gossip. When I'm around the Peter Millar team, I always just want to slip into a Southern drawl - that syrupy demeanor is infectious. I was also pleased to get a chance to meet Todd Martin, who will be running the golf division for PM going forward and to hear some great news about the upcoming year... More to come on that.